Islamabad, May 24 (IANS) A church leader has accused Pakistani police of not following the Supreme Court’s order to arrest all suspects involved in the attacks that took place on multiple churches and Christian homes in Jaranwala area of Pakistan’s Punjab province in 2023, a report has stated.
The Rev. Khalid Mukhtar, whose parish house was among the properties destroyed in the violence, said authorities made little progress despite the Supreme Court’s orders on March 31, where it directed police to arrest absconding suspects and ordered the Faisalabad anti-terrorism court to conclude the trials within six months, the Christian Daily International reported.
Mukhtar, who is now serving as priest of St Joseph’s Church in Faisalabad, said: “The Supreme Court directed the police to immediately arrest all absconding suspects and ordered the anti-terrorism court to conclude the trials within six months.”
“Despite providing police with video and photographic evidence identifying many of those involved, there has been no meaningful progress in arrests. We have met senior police officials several times since the ruling, but their assurances have not translated into concrete action.”
Mukhtar said that only one suspect remains in prison among 336 suspects against whom police have submitted charge sheets, while the others have either been granted bail or discharged from cases lodged by Christians, the report said.
Speaking to Christian Daily International-Morning Star News, he noted that police and intelligence reports estimated that more than 5,000 people participated in the attacks. He stated that nearly 400 suspects were arrested initially; however, the majority of them were granted bail, acquitted or discharged due to weak investigations and insufficient proof. According to him, some complainants faced intimidation and pressure from suspects.
Violence in Jaranwala erupted after two Christians were accused of desecrating the Quran. Later, a trial court acquitted both men and stated that they had been falsely implicated following a personal dispute.
Earlier this month, the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Roundtable Pakistan held a consultation, where concerns were raised over the continued patterns of religious discrimination, blasphemy laws misuse, forced conversions, forced marriages and the targeting of minority women and children.
During the event, the participants reviewed the current status of religious minorities in Pakistan. Faith leaders, human rights advocates, journalists, and civil society representatives called for stronger protections for Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, and religious minority communities, the Illinois-based legal news website National Law Review said.
“As faith leaders, human rights advocates, and citizens of Pakistan, we believe there must be no discrimination on the basis of religion,” said Kashif Mirza, a Karachi-based internationally recognised human rights activist and Pakistan Director of the IRF Roundtable.
“Children have become among the worst victims of religious discrimination. This must stop. Pakistan must protect every child, every woman, and every minority citizen equally under the law,” Mirza added.
During the consultation, the participants spoke about the recent legislative developments, including the introduction of minority-rights and communal-property protection bills in Punjab and the passage of the National Commission for Minorities Rights Bill 2025 by Pakistan’s Parliament. However, they stressed that legislation must be implemented on the ground and demanded accountability.
IRF Roundtable Pakistan co-chair Anila Ali – a native of Pakistan, author, and a women rights advocate – also demanded urgent action to end forced conversions and forced marriages in the country.
–IANS
akl/vd